Leopard tanks repair centre now in operation in Poland

A repair centre in Poland for German Leopard 2 battle tanks being used in Ukraine, which German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius had called for, has been completed and put into operation, his Polish counterpart Mariusz Błaszczak said, reported dpa.

"The repair center in Gliwice is in operation! The first two Leopards have already arrived at the Bumar plant from Ukraine," Błaszczak tweeted on Saturday evening.

Pistorius and Błaszczak agreed in April to set up the repair centre.

The centre was to be established by the armaments manufacturer Bumar-Labedy in Gliwice in Poland's Upper Silesia and was supposed to start work in May. But progress had ground to a halt.

Leopard tanks from Germany and Poland, which are being used by Ukraine in its fight against Russia, are to be repaired there.

Earlier in July during a visit to Poland, Pistorius had criticized the Polish side for being too slow in completing the centre.